Pour-Over Drippers · owner-verdict comparison

Hario V60 Size 02 vs Kalita Wave 185: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 77% of 13 Hario V60 Size 02 owners recommend it, vs 73% of 240 for the Kalita Wave 185.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Hario V60 Size 02

77%of 13 owners recommend
77% recommend · 0% neutral · 23% don't
Owners praise
  • Makes an excellent, clear cup
  • Versatile across brew sizes and recipes
  • Good size for one to four cups
Owners complain about
  • Hard to brew small doses well
  • Plastic version cracks and breaks
  • Slow, fussy pour-over process
Full owner report →

Kalita Wave 185

73%of 240 owners recommend
73% recommend · 9% neutral · 18% don't
Owners praise
  • Forgiving and beginner-friendly
  • Consistent, repeatable brews
  • Balanced, round, sweet cup
Owners complain about
  • Stalling, clogging and slow drawdown
  • Stainless steel version stalls worst
  • Muted, less expressive than a V60
Full owner report →

What Hario V60 Size 02 owners say

“So cool: without plastic elements in a coffee machine. Bad for cancer, good for you!”
— @loverofthewordofgod4156 on YouTube
“Super simple, really nicely put together, very effective.”
— @IncitingTheShrew on YouTube
“Worst part is probably the ceramic v60. Plastic has better heat retention, or so I’ve heard.”
— solidbrain on Reddit

What Kalita Wave 185 owners say

“The Kalita is so easy to use I’m loving it and glad to get the same brew every time,I highly recommend it.”
— @russb3n on YouTube
“ain't nothing wrong with a good old Kalita Wave 185. It's quite forgiving as pourover drippers go.”
— oneblackened on Reddit
“My stainless Kalita Wave 185 was clogging due to the filter collapsing onto the drainage holes. It seems to be a common problem in this model”
— okfreedom on Reddit